With the growth in technology, there has been a sea change in the way education is being looked upon now. At one time, education was associated with just text books which would often get inanely boring for a child. In case the kid is a fun-loving one, it would be really hard to make him sit at one place and concentrate on his school books. But with the passage of time, this problem has been solved to quite an extent by educational toys.

The toys which we have these days are a far cry from the ones we had in the yesteryear’s. Now, the focus is not just on providing light moments, but also on instilling some educational virtues into the mind of the player. So, when a kid indulges in these games, he is actually indulging into education. It would have been unthinkable in the past that education would be something to indulge in or relish into. But these educational games have certainly made the impossible possible. By thinning the line between fun and education, they have earned favors with children of all ages.

Speaking of the best games, it is hard to point out one particular game that is universally best for everyone. Though there are many games which enjoy mass popularity, every individual is benefited differently from a particular game. The game which should best serve your child also depends on his age and your requirements. If you are intending to improve the calculation power of your son or daughter, then you should bring them those educational toys which are full of Math Puzzle, riddles, quizzes, etc. On the other hand, if you want your kids to get better in his grammar, spellings and vocabulary, then you should introduce them to word-based games wherein they would be required to make new words or to correct spellings or grammar.

Then there are many games where the child does not learn anything directly, but gets benefited indirectly. For instance, if he is playing a car racing game, then you may think that he is just wasting his time since the game is offering him nothing more than entertainment and some leisure hours of fun. But if you take a deeper look, then you would discover that such games help him build a strong sense of ambition. Since, the requirement is to come out on top to lift the trophy, your child would subconsciously get ambitious and would start vying for the number one rank in all fields of life.

Some educational games also increase the speed and boost the memory. Many games are time-based. They run on the concept that the player earns more points if he finishes the task (say, solve a numerical, build a word, or answer the quizzes) in a lesser time!

Most of the educational toys come with an eclectic range of games. You would be easily able to figure out which game would be most suitable for your kid. But it would be advisable to let him take part in different genres of games.

By now we all realize that online educational games are flooding the web. If you think they are all just for kids then you are sadly mistaken. People have been playing games for all sorts of reasons like rehabbing from injuries, slowing down memory loss even training troops and more. But how about building good relations with a potential customer? There are all kinds of games out there that cater to many niches so why not get online and play and build sales leads that could last a life time.

You can find all types of free educational games online that evolve around farming, fishing, hunting, designing and more. A person looking to create a customer base can sign up, start playing a game that is related to their niche then casually chat with the other gamers and get a fill about what they are looking for. Then you can let them know what you have to offer them that can help. People who are passionate enough about a niche to play a game about it can be a good long time customer and also help build sales leads from their friend base as well.

Now what you can not do is simply play online educational games for the sole purpose pitching products and services to them. They registered to have fun not to be sold to. What you want to do is get to know them and find out how they got into this niche. As the relationship grows they will eventually tell you what they do not like about something or what could be better. Then you can let them know that you have a solution to their problem. It is best to be cautious with this technique.

It does not matter if you are any good at the game you are playing. But it does help to be knowledgeable about the online educational games you pick. Play them offend to learn the tricks of the games. Check other sites and blogs for tips and strategies. Do not be afraid to ask other members for help. This can lead to a long time business contact that could bring you success down the road.

So the next time you are looking to build sales leads for your company why not take some time to play free online educational games. You are bound to find a game that matches your niche. A community like this could be just what you need to set you apart as an authority in your field.

A long time ago, someone decided that learning games – from the Commodore 64 all the way through to Wii educational games, today – don’t need levels, leveling, or the standard video game staple: the end boss. This needs to change.

From MathBlaster! on the Amiga to BrainAge on the DS, developers have ignored turning their games into recognizable video games by skipping this key element. It stems from a nasty beginning: laziness and tradition. Back in the 80s and early 90s, console video game developers enjoyed a relative monopoly. You could choose Sega, or you could choose Nintendo. Parents, desperate to attempt to shoehorn learning into their children’s gaming, would buy pretty much anything that promised to teach while it entertained. Unfortunately, some of that attitude survives to taint our Wii educational games to this day.

The one exception, prior to the Wii educational games era (around the turn of the millennium), “The Typing of the Dead,” was well-received by critics, parents (for the most part!), and gamers. It turned a classic arcade shooter, “House of the Dead,” into a typing instructor. Players are faced with “shooting” hordes of zombies by typing words that appear on-screen. The faster and more accurately you type, the faster and more accurately you “shoot” the zombies. The game progressed exactly the same as its arcade original, advancing through a house infested with all kinds of monsters. Each level was capped off with an end-of-stage boss, completing the disguise and fulfilling the educational game’s promise.

What “Typing of the Dead” did was to treat what might normally be a dry, boring subject – learning to type on a keyboard – and approach it from a gamer’s perspective. Speed and accuracy, inherent to the success of most typical video games, are also keys to typing. Why not approach Wii educational games in this same way? Why not include some of the tropes of our favorite games (beyond simply attaching a favorite character as your “coach,” a la “Mario Teaches X”)? With all the peripherals available, with all the casual gamers the Wii attracts, why not make games… Games? Why march on with this ugly procession of cartoon letters and animated math figures?

These boring educational games were and are branded by kids, with few exceptions, lifeless drags to be suffered through while mom and dad look on. There was so little in-game progression, little to look forward to or train for, just an endless succession of math problems or spelling questions. Game producers knew they needed to sink precious little money in these games, so long as their cover art included math symbols and “learning!” or “educational!” somewhere prominent. Few Wii educational games have broken from this sad beginning, but there’s a bit of hope.

Today, we’re seeing some serious innovation in Wii educational games. Finally, we’re seeing levels. We’re seeing progression and high-scores, instrumental in sparking gamers’ competitive nature. Some games have taken advantage of the Wii’s unique control design and peripheral-saturation by including a physical element to learning. Recent games have included exercise in their educational game for the Wii. Games track your progression and offer encouragement in the form of virtual coaches. Others have included platforming elements, adventure motifs, and other interesting ways to help gamers enjoy learning.

Still, though – a ten-year-old game is the single standing example of an educational game that actually includes the use of “end bosses.” The game industry, gamers, and parents would all do well to recognize the lack of “end boss” opponents in educational Wii games. By including stages and end bosses, as well as all of the recent innovations, we will see a huge improvement in educational video games. We must overcome this legacy of mediocrity. Let’s make our games fun again. Let’s make our video games… games!